Greetings

It is that time of year in Maine when you are looking for someone and they have gone, headed for warmer climates. As I write this month's message it is five degrees outside. I totally understand those that flee. However, despite the cold temperatures, the real estate market is heating up.

As predicted and anticipated, 2010 has started out beautifully in our market. If you aren’t a subscriber to our Eflash or Innstant update program or a fan of our Facebook page, you are missing some great information. The flurry of properties going under contract is exciting. It is still very much a buyer’s market, but buyers are realizing this is their chance and it may not last forever.

The pending properties are across the board, both geographically and price-wise. Just last week were Swan contracts ranging from a $109,000 Victorian home in Milbridge to a $2,200,000 contemporary in Brooklin. The previous week, we saw a $1M + sale in NortheastHarbor. Late 2009 may have seen mostly higher end buyers jumping back into the market, but now it appears everyone is taking the plunge.

We have four Bed & Breakfast inns pending already this year, with more to follow. This is a wonderful resurgence in a significant market for us. Move to Maine, live and work in a beautiful home, and live life "the way it should be". The launch of our MaineInnkeepingAcademy this March furthers our commitment to the Maine innkeeping business and community.

I have heard from several investors and rental agents that the demand for vacation rentals has taken a significant jump in recent weeks. This is a great sign not only for the current owners, but also for potential buyers of investment homes. For many years, young professionals were buying eventual retirement properties early and maintaining their homes by treating them as real estate investments until retirement. If you know Maine is where you want to be when the time comes, this is a great concept.

I have never included a photo in my newsletter message, however I do this month to show that even though it is horribly cold and crazy windy, we still live in the most beautiful place in the world. This photo was taken at a showing yesterday at a sensational oceanfront home; you can feel the weather just by looking at it.

My entire team is pumped up and working hard to keep up with our resurging market. We are fine tuning our marketing strategies and putting a lot of emphasis on bringing everyone up to speed on traditional advertising efforts as well as keeping ahead of the curve with social media. It makes me very happy when reluctance changes to enthusiasm – the world we live in today is moving fast and we are committed to keeping up and even jumping ahead for the benefit of our clients.

Even though I am not a cold weather lover, I panicked a bit last week when the snow melted and the temperatures rose, as I am not yet ready for spring. There is still much to do to prepare for what I believe will be an incredibly strong traditional spring selling season. Never fear though, my concerns were unnecessary. Mother Nature isn't ready for spring in Maine either – I wish she just didn’t have to be so severe in her reminder.

Kim Swan

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